Mass. Hardship License Roadblocks

There are many roadblocks to obtaining a hardship license in Massachusetts. The most common include not serving enough time, appealing a suspension for which there is no hardship relief available, having open court cases, trying to apply for a hardship license while a chemical test refusal suspension is in effect, having unpaid child support obligations, not having completed the required programs, and appealing while you have too many license suspensions in effect at once.

The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles will not consider you for a hardship license unless you have served enough suspension time and there is no evidence of operating a motor vehicle during this suspension or revocation period. For example, the Registry requires habitual traffic offenders to serve 1 year of the 4 year revocation. The RMV requires drug offenders to serve ½ of the suspension time. Those convicted of DUI with 1 prior conviction must serve 1 year of the 2 year suspension. Third offenders must serve 2 years of the 8 year revocation, and 4th offenders who have 10 year DUI revocations must serve 5 years of the revocation. After a hearing, the Board of Appeal can order the Registry to issue you hardship license even if you have not served the minimum suspension time.

You should ensure that you have met all required obligations prior to applying for a hardship license. This means that all citations, parking tickets, excise tax, and child support obligations must be paid in full. You cannot get a hardship license if you owe child support or excise tax and there are no exceptions to this rule.

If you need help figuring out of you qualify for a hardship license in Massachusetts, you should speak with a hardship license lawyer. Complete the contact form on this site or call for a free review of your situation.